DISCOVER ZIMBABWESECOND EDITION 2013 Hwange’s Wealth Of Wildlife Travel and Tourism in Victoria Falls Magical Matusadona Stone Cultures MANA PooLS of Zimbabwe Big Game& Close Encounters ¬ SECRETS OF THE MATOBO HILLS ¬ HIGHLAND RETREATS ¬ roaming.pdf 1 8/17/12 5:57 PM C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Amber Hotel Mutare Mauya, Samukhele A wonderful welcome to the second edition of Discover Zimbabwe! This annual celebration of our country showcases the diverse world of wonders awaiting the visitor, and includes our greatest and most valuable assets; our people, their cultural history, and the rich natural landscapes and wildlife with which our country has been so blessed. This is our common heritage, left to us by our forefathers, and we recognise it is our duty to cherish, protect and pass on this wealth to future generations. There is much optimism in Zimbabwe following the growth of our tourism industry in 2012. With it comes the opportunity to develop a new, modern and responsible tourism sector. Zimbabwe has a long and established commitment to environmental conservation; to community empowerment in protecting and managing our wildlife resources; and to sharing in the benefits, as well as the difficulties, of living with wildlife. We encourage the tourism sector to value and preserve this heritage – to minimise the environmental impacts of their operations, to support conservation initiatives and to work in partnership with local communities. As tourists, you too can encourage this development. We warmly invite you to share the magic and mystery of our country– the hospitality and friendliness of Zimbabweans is, rightly, well regarded, and we pride ourselves in the generous welcome given to visitors from all over the world. To those of you from the UNWTO family visiting our country for the 20th General Assembly, enjoy all that Zimbabwe offers. We look forward to welcoming you all to our 'World of Wonders'. Karikoga Kaseke Chief Executive Zimbabwe Tourism Authority 4 DIscOVER ZIMBABWE 2013 CONTENTS Welcome to Zimbabwe 4 Facts and Figures 8 10 Places to Go 12 Hwange’s Wealth of Wildlife 14 Travel and Tourism at the Victoria Falls 28 Magical Matusadona 36 Lake Kariba 42 Mana Pools 44 Spirits, Stones and Empires: CourteneyPhoto: Johnson The Zimbabwe Culture 52 Secrets of the Matobo Hills 58 Highland Retreats 66 Representative Offices 70 DIScoVER ZIMBABwe PUBLISheR Cover Photo: Elephant at Mana Pools Bhupendra Taylor by Christopher Scott EDItoR Peter Roberts ART DIRectoR Carlo Nicolaou EDItoRIAL CONTRIBUtoRS James Gifford, Paul Hubbard, Peter Roberts, Sally Wynn PRooF ReADER Kerry Law PhotoGRAPHS SUPPLIED BY James Gifford, Paul Hubbard, Courteney Johnson, Peter Roberts, Photo: Peter Roberts Christopher Scott New BUSINESS AND MARketING DIRectoR Susie Paylor SALES AND MARketING Dawna DeJiacomo (+263 712 344 506) PUBLISheD BY ImpRINT INteRNATIONAL 8 Wolsey Road Esher Surrey kt10 8nx Tel: +44 (0) 1372 47 9898 Fax: +44 (0) 1372 47 9897 Email: [email protected] www.dicoverzimbabwe.com BOTSWANA OFFIce Imprint Botswana 122 Gaborone Int’l Finance Park Suite 2g P.O. Box 601891 Gaborone, Botswana Tel: +267 316 7480 Fax: +267 316 7477 Email: [email protected] [email protected] www.discover-botswana.com From top to bottom: Copyright © by Imprint International. All information is supplied Carmine bee-eaters without liability. Although the publisher has taken all precautions to ensure that the information is correct at the time of publication, Victoria Falls the publisher and its agents do not accept any liability, direct Elephant against the sunset or indirect, for material contained in this publication. Photo: James Gifford 6 DIscOVER ZIMBABWE 2013 Now available the new Isuzu KB 270 Experience4X4 Range Zimbabwe`s Wild Beauty with our Safari Car Rental Solutions... " We have added the New Stylish MG6 to our rental eet. Call us today and enjoy our ultimate car rental solutions in style." *Terms & conditions apply. EASY O Cnr 3rd Street/Kwame Nkrumah Ave, Cnr Herbert Chitepo Ave/Rekayi Tangwena Ave, P.Bag 7719 Causeway Harare An elephant nears Mana Pools. P.Bag 7719, Causeway Harare. Photo: Christopher Scott Tel:Tel: +263-4-795294/764362 +263-4-759430/628/423/459 Email:[email protected]: [email protected] www.easygo.co.zwwww.cmed.co.zw EASY OO FActS AND FIGURES "The“The Ultimate Ultimate Car Car Rental Rental Solution"Solution” GeoGRAphY central plateau, covering most of small minority white or from other "The Ultimate Car Rental Solution" Zimbabwe is a landlocked country the country, is generally temperate, ethnicities. situated in southern Africa. whilst low lying areas, such a the It is bordered by Botswana, Zambezi Valley, are significantly LANGUAGES Mozambique, South Africa and warmer and drier with hot summers. Zimbabwe has three official Zambia. The Zambezi River flows The Eastern Highlands are cooler languages; English, Shona and along its northern border with in climate with much higher year- Ndebele. English is predominantly Zambia, and the Limpopo River round rainfall. used in business and government. along the southern border with Summer rains dominate the Shona is the most widely spoken South Africa. Both flow east, seasons, usually lasting from native language, with Ndebele through Mozambique, into the November through to April, and (Sindebele), spoken mainly in the Indian Ocean. bring relief after months of drought. west of the country. There are several Zimbabwe covers an area of Rainfall frequently occurs in brief other regional languages which may some 390,580 square kilometres, but heavy afternoon downpours and be encountered. consisting of a central highveld dramatic thunderstorms. Daytime area, a raised granite shield known temperatures can range for 25°C to VISAS as the Zimbabwe Plateau, with the high 30s, even 40s in low lying Zimbabwe operates a three tier visa an average elevation of just over areas. Night-time temperatures drop system. Residents from Category 1000 metres. In the north the to 15-20°C. A countries do not require a visa. plateau drops dramatically towards Winter, between May and Residents from Category B can the Zambezi Valley, forming the August, brings slightly lower obtain a visa at point of entry into Zambezi Escarpment. In the average daytime temperatures, Zimbabwe. For Category B travellers southwest a broad area of the with little if any rain. Night-time the fee is us$30 for single entry and country slopes down towards the temperatures can drop below us$45 double entry. Note for some WILDERNESS SAFARIS Limpopo. From the western border freezing, especially in the west of countries fees are specially set. For with Botswana, windblown sands the country, something the traveller example British passport holders pay A WORLD OF DIVERSITY from the Kalahari Desert extend should remember! Before the onset us$55 for a single entry and us$70 into the country. To the east a range of the rains, during September for a double. Category C countries Luxury camps and transfers in Victoria Falls, Hwange and Mana Pools of rugged mountains, the Eastern and October, hot dry daytime are required to obtain a visa in Highlands, forms a natural border temperatures dominate. advance. Please check with your Contact us at: Email: [email protected] Tel: +263 13 43371-3 with Mozambique. representative Zimbabwe Embassy PeopLE for further details. Multi-entry visas CLIMAte Approximately two-thirds of the are available by advance application The country can be divided into estimated 10 million population or by application after initial entry. three broad climatic regions. The are Shona, 15% Ndebele, and a A trip onto the Victoria Falls 8 DIscOVER ZIMBABWE 2013 30185 • TBWA/MEDCOM 30185 • We bring people to the sunshine city Matobo rock formation. Lion close up. Photo: James Gifford Photo: Courteney Johnson Bridge (between the Zimbabwe and NewSPApeRS April 01, 2013. Zambia border posts) does not affect Chronicle, Tribune, Herald, Independence Day – your visa status. Sunday Mail (State). Financial Thursday, April 18, 2013. It is hoped that regional tourist Gazette, Independent, Standard Workers’ Day – Wednesday, visas will be introduced in 2013. (Independent). May 01, 2013. Africa Day – Saturday, May 25, 2013. TIme CURRENCY Heroes’ Day – Tuesday, GMT plus 2 hours. The Zimbabwe Dollar is no longer August 13, 2013. in circulation (withdrawn in 2009). Armed Forces Day – Tuesday, URBAN CENTRES The primary currency is US Dollars, August 13, 2013. Harare, in the central northeast, is of which smaller denominations Unity Day – Sunday, the capital city and the major urban can often be in short supply. Other December 22, 2013. centre of the country. Its population currencies such as the South African Christmas Day – Wednesday, is estimated at 1.6 million. Rand, Botswana Pula and Pounds December 25, 2013. Bulawayo, in the central southwest, Sterling are also accepted, but often Boxing Day – Thursday, is the country’s second city, with at slightly less favourable rates. December 26, 2013. a population estimated at around Change is often given in Rand or 700,000. Pula coinage. INTERNATIONAL TELephoNE Visa cards are accepted by some DIALLING TYpe OF GOVERNmeNT establishments. International dialling code +263. Democratic Multiparty State. BANKS ELectRICITY HEAD OF StATE Zimbabwe has a flourishing banking 220-240 volt, 3-pin (both President Robert Mugabe. sector, following recent economic square and round) plugs. stability and growth. Many offer MAIN POLITICAL PARTIES bureau de change and ATM services. RecommeNDED GUIDE Book Gaborone to Harare ZANU-PF (Zimbabwe African ATM (VISA and MasterCard) Zimbabwe – The Bradt Travel Guide, Air Botswana offers 4 convenient weekly flights between Gaborone and Southern Africa’s sunshine city. Whether you National Union – Patriotic machines dispense US Dollars, with by Paul Murray (2010). For online Front) and MDC (Movement for standard transaction charges. updates see www.bradtguides.com/ are travelling to do business or simply for leisure, you can be sure that there is a flight to suit your needs.